Previous Art Talk's

2018

ART TALK/ART WALK, February 2, 2018: Better Together

Better Together: Moderator Alison Gillmor talked with Diana Thorneycroft, Michael Boss and Peter Graham, all members of the Frost Shield Kerfuffle group, about why artist collectives are so important -- creatively, emotionally and practically. From manifestoes to mentoring to moral support, they’ll spoke about why Winnipeg artists like to “huddle together to stay warm.”

2017

December 1, Art Talk/Art Walk: Fresh Prints Thanks to Mariana Muňoz Gomez and Alison James who talked about their artistic practices, the power of printmaking, and why prints are a great way to kick off your art collection.

OCTOBER 6 ART TALK/ART WALK: Art's Past & Art's PresentSerena Keshavjee talked with moderator Alison Gillmor about her work as an art historian.From looking at early 20th-century photographs of Elmwood seances to exploring our city's modernist architecture, she explained why art history is not just about the past-- and how we can use its tools and techniques to change the way we see the present.

SEPTEMBER 1 -ART AS HEALING

How can art make us better, happier, more whole? For expressive painter Shelley Vanderbyl, whose work ranges from large scale abstract frescoes to miniature pill-box landscapes, art is “a material language of hope.” In conversation with fellow artist Elise Dawson, she talked about art as care, comfort and unexpected beauty.

AUGUST 4 - Art Talk/Art Walk

At this month's Art Talk we'll be celebrating the new C2 Centre for Craft with artists Seema Goel and Jessica Hodsgon, whose work breaks down and blows up the old barriers between art and craft. Looking at issues such as the relationships between humanity and the environment, food and sustainability, and the links among art, science and creativity, we'll be discussing what craft materials and craft techniques can do in this new expanded field.

JUNE 2 - Can Good Design Save Your Life?Darren Stebeleski

This month teacher and graphic designer Darren Stebeleski talked about what makes good design, why design matters and how he uses it in his work; and he showed how good design can actually save your life!

May 5, 2017 - SERIOUSLY FUNNYRay Fenwick and Glen Johnson.

Both artists use language in their work, allowing for a sharp look at the mishaps of human communication, some smart social commentary -- and lots of deadpan jokes.We talked about art, language and the serious side of being funny.

We spoke with Governor General Award-winning artist Reva Stone, whose pioneering intermedia work explores the impact of technology on human life. & how artists can make a space to examine the ethical and moral questions raised by new technologies.

Artists are working with robotic exoskeletons, extreme body-modification, facial recognition algorithms,smart textiles and amino acid chains.Reva’s own work has examined videogames and gender identity, the effect of communications technology on our social relationships and, more recently, the ethical ramifications of drone technology "in a world that is always at war"

March 3, 2017 - Art is a Motherhood IssueLisa Wood

One of the historical obstacles for female artists has been the stubbornly persistent notion that it is impossible to combine motherhood and creative work. (As controversial British artist Tracey Emin said in 2014: “There are good artists that have children. They are called men.”Manitoba artist Lisa Wood, whose paintings often deal with identity, family and community, made the case for being both a mother and an artist, with each role enriching and informing the other. We talked about practical challenges and real rewards, while challenging social stereotypes of moms and artists alike.

People used to tremble and faint in the presence of paintings, and while the 21st-century gallery experience tends to be more subdued, there are still art objects with the power to move us and leave us breathless.We discussed how and why some art evokes strong emotions.

2016

December 2, 2016 - the value of artwith Bill Mayberry, president of Mayberry Fine Art

Most of us view art as a creative, crucially important human activity. But it’s also part of a dollars-and-cents marketplace.Bill Mayberry, president of Mayberry Fine Art, recounted his decades of experience as an art dealer.He talked about buyers who look at art as sentimental memory, as sofa-sized décor, as shrewd investment and as the object of pure, ardent love.How art prices are determined, the future of the Canadian art market, and the chances of a priceless masterpiece popping up in your great-aunt’s attic were up for discussion.

November 4, 2016 - Portrait of the artistAlison Gillmor

Artist Carole Freemantalked about portraiture with moderator Alison Gillmor.Freeman has painted versions of her Facebook contacts, as a way of bringing the virtual wall to the gallery wall.She has offered painted takes on paparazzi shots with portraits of TIFF stars, and she’s debuting a new show that explores the faces of Winnipeg’s history.She raised ideas of identity, celebrity and the value of the painted portrait in the Internet age.

What does Winnipeg mean, for artists who come here, for artists who stay, and for artists who leave? How has our cold, somewhat isolated and idiosyncratic town -- and warm arts community -- affected their careers, their creative work and their everyday lives? Previewing some of the topics that will be raised at the Centre for Contemporary Canadian Art’s 20th-anniversary symposium (November 3-5),we talked to Simon Hughes, a born-and-bred Winnipeg artist, and Bev Pike, an Alberta-raised painter who made the deliberate decision to come here in the 1980s, about their city and their art.

Moderator Alison Gillmor and Shawna looked at the historical barriers that faced women artists, the more subtle challenges facing them now, and the role of MAWA and mentoring for women artists in Winnipeg.

AUGUST 5, 2016 - Public Art: Take It OutsideTricia Wasney

A look at art made for audiences outside gallery and museum walls

* There wAS no ART TALK/ART WALK on July 1st, 2o16. happy Canada Day !

June 3, 2016 - Can Art Change the World?KC Adams, Alison Gillmor

Even if you don’t regularly visit art galleries, you probably saw some of KC Adams’ work in the weeks following the notorious Maclean’s Magazine article that labelled Winnipeg “Canada’s most racist city.”'Perception' a photographic series the Winnipeg-based First Nations artist started in 2014, was all over the place, facing down racist stereotypes from bus shelters, billboards and across social media.Adams will be discussing her work, as well as talking about what is often called “Social Practice Art.”In this movement, artists work collaboratively with individuals and communities, dealing directly with social issues and ideas. They aim to engage big audiences, often outside the usual gallery and museum setting.

In conversation with moderator Alison Gillmor, Adams will be covering some tough and topical questions: What is the relationship between art and activism? What does it mean to be a political artist in the 21st century? How can artists connect with wider audiences? How can we use art to start conversations about important and difficult subjects? Can art actually change the world?

MAY 6, 2016 - The Risks and Rewards of Making ArtElvira Finnigan and Karel Funk

Elvira Finnigan and Karel Funk, two very different artists, spoke about how they approach making art, and about the internal and external pressures that shape their practices.

Tom Lovatt & Bette Woodland presented a thoughtful and informative talk about how they navigate life together as professional artists andtheir distinctive approaches to exploring both the beauty and history of the figure.

MARCH 4, 2016 - Material and MetaphorBev Pike

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

Women filmmakers and storytelling - the films and visual art of Jackie Traverse and Shimby Zegeye-Gebrehiwot.

2015

DECEMBER 4, 2015

A full house enjoyed Sarah Swan in conversation with Serena Keshevjee, art historian at the University of Winnipeg.Serena discussed how to develop your artistic taste, presented a virtual tour of several galleries and the artists they represent,and revealed insider collecting tips!

NOVEMBER 6, 2015 - 'A Beginner’s Guide to Arthouse Film'

Our first ever film screening!Sarah Swan interviewed award winning filmmaker Heidi Phillips aboutthe nature of innovation, screening a selection of her beautiful experimental films.Heidi's beautiful, award winning film Old West Lodge was shown on a giant screen!

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015 - We the Audience

“What is the most powerful art you’ve ever seen? History professor David Churchill spoke about Caravaggio and Rothko., artist Willow Rector about Wanda Koop and film professor and screenwriter George Toles about Pierre Bonnard

August 7, 2015 - Lake Winnipeg: Art, Science, and You

A full house at the News Café was treated to a thoughtful discussion about how art and science can collaborate to inspire heartfelt change.With host Sarah Swan, artist Bill Pura and Lake Winnipeg Foundation director Alexis Kanu.

July 3, 2015

'Stripes, Splotches and Scribbles: An honest look at abstract art'On July 3 Ufuk Gueray, artist & University of Manitoba painting instructor, made a strong case in defense of abstract art.Sarah Swan moderated a lively discussion with plenty of audience participation from the full house!

JUNE 5, 2015

gillmor: the artist is a myth-maker and myth-buster thorneycroft: the artist is a provocateur

﻿﻿APRIL 3, 2015 - Who are the arbiters of artistic taste?

A packed audience shared their opinions on a wide variety of artwork and Sarah Swan facilitated a discussion on artistic taste and "Who decides whether or not a work of art is good or bad?" "Why is some art museum-worthy, while other art is dismissed?" and "What separates a professional artist from an amateur one?"

MARCH 6, 2015 - THE NAKED TRUTH

Host Sarah Swan, artist Robert Sim, and nude models Ian Mozdzen and Lizzy Burt engaged in a discussion about the psychology of nakedness, the contribution of nude models to the artist's creative process, and famous artist-model couples from art history.

2014

December 5, 2014 - Let's Talk Clay

Elise Nadeau & Jordan Van Sewelldiscussed clay, and why the work of ceramic artists and traditional potters alike may be about to undergo a massive art world reappraisal.

NOVEMBER 7, 2014 - Matching the Sofa

Richelle Davies spoke about collecting on a budget, Elise Dawson about how to develop taste in art, and Larry Glawson of Martha Street Studio about fine art printmaking. Then... six printmakers' studios were featured on the tour, all with work for saleAlan Geske, Mary Krieger, Nora Kobrinsky, Peter Graham, Sue Gordon, Karen Schulz

OCTOBER 3, 2014

Radioactive Art-Haunted by ChernobylAward winning photographer David McMillan joined host Sarah Swan to speak about his experiences photographing Pripyat, Ukraine, the city that was evacuated due to the Chernobyl Nuclear Accident of 1986, and discussed the differences between art photography and photojournalism.

September 5, 2014 - 'Inside/Out'

In recognition of Mentoring Artists for Women's Art (MAWA)'s contribution to the arts community we presented Willow Rector & Tracy Peters, emerging, or early career, artists who make work in very unique ways. We learned more about Rector & Peters' exciting new work, & heard about how they learned to grow & take risks in their art.

AUGUST 1, 2014

Q: How many performance artists does it take to screw in a lightbulb? A: It takes 2 enlightened performance artists to screw in a lightbulbCritically acclaimed performance artists Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan spoke with host Elise Dawson about-What is performance art, why does it make us nervous or cynical and is it still relevant?

June 6, 2014

Tons of people in the Exchange, and a sold-out crowd to see Bill Pura at Art Talk.

MAY 2, 2014 - ART SCHOOL ON TRIAL

Is it worth it? Does it turn out theory-obsessed artists with little actual skill? Is student work important? With students Shaylynn Plett and John Patterson & instructors Ufuk Gueray & Erica Mendritzki

April 4, 2014

Every few years some critic declares painting to be dead, or over, and another critic rushes to painting's defence? Has painting changed? Can painters be original, or are they just rehashing art history?Art Talk moderator Sarah Swan Craig Stuart Love discussed whether painting is alive and well, dead and gone, or The Undead.

March 7, 2014 - Crafters vs Artists- Round 1

On March 7, Crafters sewed up a victory with an arsenal of knitted land mines and tatted poetry when two worthy contenders, Barb Hunt & Chantel Mierau, pummelled the inner art snob (of some) and emerged champions!

February 7, 2014 - OPPOSITES ATTRACT

On February 7, a very full house was treated to a lively & revealing talk - 'OPPOSITES ATTRACT' as Sarah Swan interviewed Diana Thorneycroft andMichael Bossabout their very unique collaborations.

2013

December 6, 2013 - HOW TO START AN ART COLLECTION 2.0

Artists use many methods to create limited edition, fine art original prints - they can be a great starting point for an art collection

nOVEMBER 1, 2013 - The Art of InterpretationDoug smith

OCTOBER 4, 2013 - Artifact or Art?

Host Sarah Swan was joined by Jenny Western (curator, writer, and educator) & Daina Warren (curator and co-director of Urban Shaman Gallery)for a fascinating examination of contemporary Aboriginal art .

MAY 3, 2013

APRIL 5, 2013

54 people came out on April 5 to hear artists Lisa Wood and Robert Sim, and to learn about the history of nudity in art. It was a great evening!

march 1, 2013

On March 1st, a SRO audience enjoyed a compelling Art Talk delivered by artist Larry Glawson, director of Martha Street Studio-Winnipeg's premiere printmaking studio. After enjoying the dinner and talk, many in the audience attended to Martha Street Studio and experienced an even more in depth understanding of the history, aesthetics and process of the Art of Printmaking.

February 1, 2013

"Unlocking the mysteries of the Art World" A discussion about art with Alison GillmorAlison addressed some common questions about the world of art!Art Galleries- are they still important in the digital age?What is the difference between art and craft, and who decided that sculpture is art but quilts are not? Who decides how much a painting costs and which artists get to be famous?

JANUARY 4,2013 - An examination of Abstract Art

2012

DECEMBER 7, 2012

On the December 7 ART TALK Sarah Swan presented practical & user -friendly ways to access the "weirdness" of some modern and contemporary art.

November 2,2012

A full house at the News Café enjoyed an evening of art , dining and great conversation! hannah_g, Howard Gurevich & Andrew Lodwick each spoke about two noteworthy Manitoba artists.

OCTOBER 5, 2012University of manitoba school of art

SEPTEMBER 7, 2012 - OLD MASTERSChristian Worthington

AUGUST 3, 2012 - THE WORLD OF INSTALLATION ART

July 7, 2012 - hOW TO START an art collection

On July 7 First Fridays ART TALK/ART WALK was launched.

With the generous support of The Exchange District BIZ, The Winnipeg Arts Council and Manitoba Arts Council.